Yeah I shamelessly clipped this from "Art of Manliness", I thought it was pretty good, and those of us that were in the "Big Green Weenie" would appreciate the trapsie down memory lane, LOL. I never drove a Patton, but I drove tracks, trucks, jeeps, hummvees, deuce and a half's, 5 tons, 548, 1008, 1009, 1028's and I am grateful I never learned to drive a gamma goat.
There you are, captured behind enemy lines, locked in a makeshift POW camp. Your only chance of escape? The M60 Patton tank sitting unguarded just beyond the fence. If you’re able to get inside it, would you be able to start it up and pilot the tank for a getaway?
While you might never find yourself needing to commandeer a tank for a daring escape, there’s something undeniably appealing about knowing how to operate one of these steel monsters. Tony Borglum, owner of Drive a Tank in Minnesota, has taught thousands of people the basics of tank operation, and in this illustrated guide, we’ll share his instructions for piloting an M60 Patton.
Why the M60 Patton?
Because it was so dang ubiquitous in the second half of the 20th century.
Most of us grew up playing with little green army men. That tank in your collection was almost certainly modeled after the M60 Patton. Named after one of America’s greatest tank strategists, General George Patton, the M60 was the backbone of American armored forces for decades after WWII. This 52-ton beast saw action from the Cold War through Desert Storm, earning its reputation as one of the most reliable tanks ever built.
Because we’re showing you how to drive an M60 Patton, we thought it only fitting to have Old Blood and Guts himself show you the ropes.
I have seen on Insty and other social media about the drama about certain women and I have joked with my wife should she cross over the rim before me, I ain't remarrying again, the current dating pool is toxic. The 4th wave of feminism and the "Girlboss" has poisoned the dating pool as far as I am concerned. I could myself fortunate that I am still on my "Starter Marriage" and we have been together for almost 32 years. I am sure that there are a lot of good girls out there but do I want to try to find them? Is the juice worth the squeeze? I hope I never find out.
I saw this on "Art of Manliness"
You’ve probably had a friend who started dating a woman that really made you scratch your head. She was flaky, possessive, and high-drama. Everyone could see that the gal was toxic and really bringing your buddy down…everyone, that is, except your buddy.
You tell yourself, “That would never happen to me.”
But then it does.
What gives? How do people end up in unhealthy relationships despite warning signs that their partner was bad news to begin with?
Answer: we’re blinded by love.
Seriously.
Using MRI machines, researchers at the University College London found that “feelings of love lead to a suppression of activity in the areas of the brain controlling critical thought. It seems that once we get close to a person, the brain decides the need to assess their character and personality is reduced.”
Not only does romantic love suppress our critical thinking, but feel-good chemicals and hormones like oxytocin and dopamine cloud our judgment even more. Love truly gives us a drug-like “high,” and it feels so good that we simply ignore the red flags waving right before us. If by chance you do take notice of a gal’s negative behavior or attitude, you’re likely to minimize it, writing it off as a cute quirk, or telling yourself, “Oh, it’s not that bad. Besides, maybe I can be the guy to help her improve.”
Don’t fool yourself. You can’t force your partner to change; the change has to come from within. Also, problems that you notice at the beginning of a relationship tend to amplify themselves as the relationship deepens. Or as marriage expert Dr. John Van Epp says in his book, How to Avoid Falling in Love With a Jerk, “The good doesn’t always last, and the bad usually gets worse.”
“Well,” you say, “I’m a manly man, dammit. I don’t let my emotions get the best of me in a relationship. I always think rationally.”
Hold on there, chief. Some research actually indicates that men, particularly men in their mid-twenties, “typically fall in love faster than women and are the first to take the lead in saying words of love in the initial stages of the relationship.” Women, on the other hand, are generally more apprehensive in the beginning stages of a relationship. In other words, just because you’re a dude, doesn’t mean you’re not susceptible to love blindness.
Knowing that your judgment is clouded, it’s important to enter any serious relationship with both your head and your heart. You need be able to distance yourself from the powerful emotions you’re likely feeling in a new relationship so that you can notice any red flags that might indicate that you’re destined for a relationship from hell. This is doubly important if you’re considering marriage.
But what sort of red flags should you be on the lookout for? While every man has his own personal relationship red flags or deal breakers, psychologists and marriage experts have found there are a few general red flags you should be aware of. Most of these are patterns of behavior in your partner that will likely (not definitely) result in a troubled relationship down the road.
Because people are usually on their best behavior at the beginning of a relationship, some of these red flags won’t appear for awhile. According to Dr. Van Epp, it’s usually around the three-month mark that deep-seated patterns start to manifest themselves. This delay is why he and other relationship experts recommend that you take romantic relationships nice and slow.
Below are some of the common red flags that researchers and therapists recommend you look for in a relationship.
Watch the Video
1. She’s a self-proclaimed “Drama Queen.” Beware of women who not only proclaim themselves to be Drama Queens, but also revel in the role. Drama Queens often swing from one emotional extreme to another; when life seems a little boring or flat, they’ll go out of their way to stir up a controversy. They’re often impulsive and demand to be the center of attention all the time. What’s interesting is that Drama Queendom isn’t just a character defect, it could actually be a psychological disorder called “histrionic personality disorder.” Who knew?
Drama Queens can be very alluring and attractive in the beginning of the relationship because of their seemingly outgoing and often seductive personalities. But the shtick gets old after a while and constant drama in a long-term relationship just makes people miserable.
2. You can’t stand any of her friends. You don’t need to be “besties” with her friends, but if the thought of spending an hour with one of them makes you want to jump in front of speeding traffic, then you might have reason to be concerned about your relationship with your gal. There’s wisdom in the old adage, “Birds of a feather flock together.” Your significant other likely has a lot in common with her friends — similar interests, temperaments, and beliefs. Because you’re not in love with her friends, you’re more likely to notice their annoyingly grating behaviors and attitudes. But because you’re infatuated with your gal, you’re likely ignoring or overlooking these same behaviors and attitudes coming from her.
Thus, if you can’t stand being around her friends now, there’s a chance you’ll feel the same way about your partner later. Don’t be surprised if your girlfriend is just like her annoying friend after the “Fog of Love” dissipates.
3. She says ALL her exes are jerks. There’s a possibility that every man she’s ever dated was indeed a jerk. If that’s the case, what does that say about her judgment, and what is it about her personality that draws her to losers? And that also means you’re probably a jerk too, as people tend to follow the same scripts and patterns across relationships.
The more likely scenario is that some — but not all — of her exes were jerks and she’s downplaying her role in the relationships going sour. This scenario is just as troublesome – as it shows a lack of self-awareness and an unwillingness to take responsibility. We all know folks who got fired from a job, received a bad grade, or got dumped because their boss was jealous, their professor was out to get them, and their girlfriend was nuts. It’s never their fault. Avoid relationships with this type of person like the plague.
4. She’s a flake. We all know that trust is an important aspect of a strong, healthy relationship, and it’s hard to trust someone who flakes out on you all the time. Watch to see if your gal follows through on her commitments in all aspects of her life. If she’s a flake with her employer, friends, and family, chances are she’s going to be a flake with you.
5. She treats waiters like crap. You can glean important information about a person from the way they treat strangers, especially those in a “server” role like a waiter, barista, or bank clerk. Psychologists have found that the way an individual treats strangers is often an indication of that person’s empathy, social conscience, and maturity of moral thinking — the same attributes that marriage and relationship researchers have found to be essential for healthy relationships.
6. She expects to be treated like a princess. When one person comes into a relationship with a sense of entitlement and expectation that his or her needs should always come before the other person’s, resentment, contempt, and anger are usually the results. Be on the lookout for subtle and overt clues that your partner has the “princess” mentality. (Hint: She has the word “Princess” stitched on the butt of her sweatpants.)
7. You argue all. the. time. There’s nothing wrong with conflict in a relationship. It’s completely normal, and in fact healthy at times. But if all you do is argue, then there’s a problem. Researchers have found that for a relationship to be happy, the ratio of positive to negative interactions needs to be 5:1. If your ratio is inverted, you’re going to be miserable. And don’t try to convince yourself that once you get more serious, things will get better. The first couple years are the honeymoon period! If things are already bad in the early stages of a relationship, you’re in big trouble.
8. She gets angry or guilts you when you want to spend time with your friends. We’ve talked a lot on the site about how important it is for men to spend time with their man friends — iron sharpens iron and all that. Unfortunately, some women don’t understand this and bust their boyfriend’s balls any time they want to go spend time with their buds – or they insist on always coming along to your formerly all-guy outings. A good woman will actually encourage you to spend time with the guys, understanding that it’s good for your overall well-being, which is ultimately good for your relationship too.
“What you want to see is a partner who quickly admits to wrong because the feelings of guilt register without much defensiveness or denial. Long arguments where you have to convince your partner that he or she was wrong or should feel guilty are a definite reason to worry,” says Van Epp.
10. She has a bad relationship with her family. As the relationship gets more serious, you’ll likely meet her parents and family. Watch how she interacts with them. Her comfort level with her family will often lead to her putting down her guard and showing her true colors. Patterns or scripts that your partner uses in one set of relationships will most likely be introduced into your relationship (Van Epp).If she gets along great with her family, great! You’ll likely experience the same in your relationship. However, if she’s cold and distant with her family, tread carefully. You might experience the same kind of hostility later.
Of course, there are cases where the apple truly does fall far from the tree. If her family is nuts or abusive, her distance is understandable and likely a good thing.
11. She’s not flexible. Marriage and relationship experts have found that flexibility — the ability to go with the flow and adapt to changing circumstances — is an important attribute for relationship success. If your girlfriend is never willing to compromise or gets frazzled when plans change or things aren’t exactly the way she wants them, there could be problems with your relationship down the line.
How do you know if your gal is the roll-with-the-punches type? Go on vacation together – ideally to a third-world country where things will invariably not go as planned. Or, just as good, take her camping. She refuses to go camping – even once? That’s a big red flag in itself – at least in my book.
12. You don’t share any core values or life goals. It doesn’t matter how much you love each other, if you and your gal aren’t on the same page when it comes to things like values or life goals, things are going to be rocky. Research backs this up — couples who share many of the same values and life goals are happier and have stronger relationships than couples who don’t.
13. She’s violent. Did you know that women are at least as likely, sometimes even more likely, than men to initiate domestic violence? Sure, her punches may not hurt you, but if your girlfriend gets violent when you argue, that should be a bright red flag that you need to end the relationship. There’s some underlying emotional issues there, and if she did it before, she’ll likely do it again. Don’t shrug it off – slapping can escalate into the use of weapons.
14. She’s stingy with the appreciation. Feelings of appreciation keep a relationship strong and running smoothly. One of the things I love about Kate is no matter how many times I’ve done a run-of-the-mill chore or how small a favor, she always remembers to take notice and share her appreciation. If your girlfriend rarely notices and thanks you for the nice things you do, such stinginess will eventually run your ship of love onto the rocks.
I had preloaded this, I used to go hiking in my younger days and when I was doing Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts, I had Bear Spray with me, just in case, we also made a lot of noise, as a rule, Bears will avoid people, I also taught hiking and backpacking classes and some of the stuff I taught wasn't strictly B.S.A. specifications. I told them the B.S.A way, then I also told them, when you are out on the real world, the lawyers are in their offices and you are on your own. I told the adults it is your choice, but I also carried...This
I have a "Smif" 686 .357(The one on the right)with speed loaders I would carry. It would be for both 2 and 4 legged critters. I told the people in my classes, " when you are on the Appalachian trail or whatever you are, your personal safety is your own responsibility. not everyone you will meet is a good person. I'm not telling you to carry, but it is your decision." I luckily never needed it and the kids never noticed it on my gear.
I shamelessly clipped this from "Art of Manliness"
An important part of manhood has always been about having the competence to be effective in the world — having the breadth of skills, the savoir-faire, to handle any situation you find yourself in. With that in mind, each Sunday we’ll be republishing one of the illustrated guides from our archives, so you can hone your manly know-how week by week.
Earlier this month, 71-year-old Donald Zimmerman was jogging near Pillar Mountain outside of Kodiak, Alaska. He was surrounded by berry bushes that were just starting to fill out, and he knew that encountering bears was a possibility, which is exactly why he carried bear spray.
He saw the bear out of the corner of his eye just before the attack. Zimmerman was mauled before he had a chance to pull the spray out, but during a brief break from the violence, he managed to uncap his spray and deploy it, scaring the bear away. Officials say the bear spray saved his life.
While bear attacks aren’t predictable (nor common), the outcome when victims use bear spray is. One study found that spray stopped “undesirable behaviors” in 92% of cases. And among people who carried bear spray, 98% were uninjured after having a close encounter with a bear.
The bottom line is, bear spray works. But like all tools, it takes practice to use it effectively; you shouldn’t just buy a can, stick it in your pack, and never consider how to use it until a 700-pound grizzly is upon you.
Bear spray is much like normal pepper spray, but it typically sprays much farther and for a longer period of time. Training to use bear spray is imperative if you’re headed into bear country. Luckily, many of the companies that manufacture bear spray also sell inert training cans, so you can test out their functionality before you hit the trail. One of the things they’ll tell you is to store your bear spray in a hyper-convenient location where you can access it quickly — like holstered on your belt; you don’t want it buried inside your pack when you need it.
I already have an idea how to do this, I had taken some locksmith classes years ago, and I do know how to get into cars, especially Older GM products, Fords are more difficult as are the imports, I used to use a coat hanger until my Dad got me a slim-jim, I haven't tried to get into the newer cars, I do have keys cut for all my cars, even the "fob" ones and the lazer cut keys are hidden somewhere on the outside of the car in case of the "leave keys in car" and battery failure. Now with the newer Fords, that is kinda hard because the durn things beeps at you if you lock the car/truck and leave the keys inside even though both my F150 and the Spousal Units Edge have the Keypad entry. I have practiced on getting into houses, but it has been a while, I have considered upgrading all the locks in my house so this can't be done, but it ain't cheep and it usually involves electronics and that is a power source and when the power dies.....what then? I haven't researched it much...yet, but I will.
I shamelessly clipped this from "Art of manliness"
Some of you might be thinking, “Brett, why should I learn how to pick a lock if I don’t plan on breaking into people’s homes?”
Great question.
There are a few good reasons why law-abiding citizens should learn how to pick a lock:
Lock picking opens your eyes to the “illusion of security.” We all lock our doors to keep our loved ones safe at night and to secure our possessions during the day. After I picked my first lock within two minutes of learning how to do it, I realized that locks don’t really do much except provide the illusion of security. Locks make us feel safe, but if someone really wanted to get in your house, they could easily pick the lock on your front door. If they didn’t know how to do that, they could find another way in. You can’t just rely on a lock to keep you and your family safe. You need to utilize other tools and tactics and create multiple layers of security.
Realizing how little locks actually keep you and your stuff safe was both terrifying and surprisingly heartwarming. Terrifying because I saw that someone could easily enter my house and walk off with a crap-load of stuff without having to break a window; heartwarming because seeing how easy it is to pick a lock and yet how rarely people get burgled, made me realize that most people don’t break into homes because, well, most people are good people.
It makes you handy. If you’ve ever been locked out of your house or car, you know how annoying it is to be standing there like a chump, waiting for someone to show up with a key or a professional locksmith to arrive. Wouldn’t you love to be able to jimmy your way in yourself? Not only can this skill save you a lot of time and money, being able to solve a problem like that on your own is pretty dang satisfying. Plus, you can help out all your friends when they get locked out too.
Knowing how to pick a lock may even help you save a life one day. ITS Tactical has highlighted a few instances in which someone picked their way into an older parent’s home because they weren’t answering the phone, only to find their parent collapsed on the floor. Could they have kicked the door down or broken a window? Sure. But picking a lock just takes a few seconds and doesn’t leave any damage. So why wouldn’t you do that if you could?
It’s cool and fun skill! There’s simply a “cool” factor of knowing how to pick a lock. Of all the Jason Bourne-esque skills every man wishes he had, it’s one of the most attainable. The idea that I can surreptitiously enter most doors without a key makes me feel all-powerful, like some sort of super ninja-spy.
It’s also a fun little hobby and something I like to do when I’m taking breaks from work or hanging out with the kids while they do their kid thing on the carpet. If you get really into lock picking, you can actually go to events and contests to test your skills against other lock pickers.
Below we walk you through basic lock picking techniues for tumbler locks. I made a lock picking YouTube video a few years ago that shows how to do this step-by-step.
There’s a common misconception that the only people who can legally own lock picking tools are first responders or licensed locksmiths. The reality is that in most states, as long as you’re not trying to illegally enter someone’s home with your lock pick set, you can legally own, carry, and use lock picking tools.
There are, however, some states that have laws that make owning lock picking tools prima facie evidence of criminal intent. If you’re caught with picks in these states and you want to avoid criminal charges, you have to prove that you didn’t plan on committing a crime.
Long story short: owning lock picking tools and learning how to pick locks is perfectly legal and ethical as long as you do so without nefarious intent. Just be a decent human being. For a summary of lock picking laws across the country, see here.
How to Pick a Pin Tumbler Lock
Pin tumbler locks are the most common locks found on the front doors of homes. So it makes for a good first lock to learn how to pick.
How a Pin Tumbler Lock Works
You don’t really need to understand how a basic pin tumbler locks work to successfully pick them, but it does help.
The design of the basic pin tumbler lock has been in use since 4000 BC. Of course, it’s gotten more complex over the millennia. The design that is used in most cylinder locks – like the one on your front door -- has been around since 1861 and it hasn’t changed much. Basically most of the world is using a technology that’s been around for a century and a half to keep their most prized possessions safe and secure.
Here’s the anatomy of most run-of-the-mill pin tumbler locks:
Pin tumbler locks consist of an outer cylindrical casing (colored green) in which a plug is housed. The small gap between the outer casing and the plug is called the shear line. Remember that. It will come in handy here in a bit. The plug has an opening for the key. When the proper key is inserted into the plug, the plug can rotate, thus unlocking the lock. On top of the plug, a series of five or six holes are drilled. The holes contain key pins (colored red) of different lengths. They’re called key pins because they touch the key when you insert a key into the plug. Above each key pin is a driver pin that’s spring-loaded. Pins are also sometimes referred to as "binding pins."
So you have an idea of how the pins look in action, here's a gif of me inserting a pick into a see-through practice lock:
In the diagram above, there’s no key in the plug. Because of the different key pin lengths, the driver pins cross the shear line, making it impossible for the plug to rotate. If you put a wrong key into a lock, the notches on the key won’t lift up the key pins at the right height, causing them to protrude through the shear line as you can see in the diagram below:
In order for the plug to rotate, you need to lift each of the key pins and driver pins to the correct height -- until the gap between the key pins and driver pins reaches the shear line. When all of the pins reach this position, the plug can rotate. That’s what happens when you put a properly cut key into a lock:
Pretty simple, huh?
When you pick a lock, all you’re doing is using tools, instead of a key, to line up the gap between the key pins and driver pins with the shear line between the outer casing and the plug. That’s it. And it’s super easy to do.
Tools Needed for Picking a Pin Tumbler Lock
There are various tools you can use to pick a lock. For this post we’re going to focus on using the most common lock picking tools: a tension wrench and pick rakes. (We’ll do a post on using bumper keys and pick guns in the future.)
Below is my wallet-sized lock pick set that I got from SEREPick while I was at the ITS Muster. The picks are made of titanium. There’s one tension wrench and several rakes with different numbers of ridges, which allow you to pick several pins at a time. There’s also a pick that allows you to pick one pin at a time. Some locks will require you to do that.
If you’re looking for something a littler sturdier and robust, you can find lock picking sets several places online (even Amazon). If you want to be even more of a MacGyver, you could even make your own picks from a windshield wiper.
Lock picking is more art than science. You definitely have to develop a “feel” for it. Each lock is different, but the same basic principles apply. The easiest way to pick a lock is to use the fast and dirty method: scrubbing.
1. Insert Tension Wrench into the Bottom of Key Hole and Apply Slight Pressure
The tension wrench is the key (no pun intended) to successfully picking a lock. Thanks to video games, people wrongfully think it’s the pick, because that is the thing that’s actually lifting the key pins to line up with the shear line.
Here’s why the tension wrench is so important: as you’re lifting the pin sets with your pick you need to apply tension on the plug. If you’re applying the right amount of torque on the plug, once the driver pin passes the shear line, the plug will rotate slightly. When you pull your pick out, the key pin will drop back down, but the driver pin will catch the edge of the plug, thus staying above the shear line. Here’s a diagram of what it looks like:
You’ll keep lifting pins with your pick and applying pressure with your tension wrench, until all the driver pins have cleared the shear line.
So far so good? Alrighty.
So take your tension wrench and place it in the bottom of the key hole. Apply slight pressure in the direction you would turn the key if you had it. And by slight I mean slight. If you apply too much pressure, you’re just going to cause the driver pins to bind below the shear line. You need to have enough give to let the driver pins rise above the shear line, but have enough torque that when they start dropping down, an edge of the drive pin catches the plug as it starts to rotate.
How much is too much pressure? If your tension wrench is bending a lot, then you’re probably applying too much pressure. So lean on the side of applying less pressure than more.
2. Insert Pick at Top of Lock
Pick your pick. I prefer the Bogota rake that has three ridges. This one has picked every lock that I’ve used it on very easily.
Slide the rake all the way to the back.
3. While Applying Slight Torque to Your Wrench, Scrub Your Pick Back and Forth in the Key Hole
Keep applying that slight pressure on your tension wrench. I use my left hand for that. With your right hand, scrub or rake the inside of the plug with your pick. As you pull the pick back, simultaneously lift up in order to apply pressure on the pins. It looks sort of like this motion:
4. Repeat Until All the Pins Set
Keep applying torque on your wrench and scrubbing the pins until they all set. You may need to apply more torque and pressure on the pins with your pick as you get near the last one or two pins that need to set. If you’re not making any progress, you probably applied too much torque with the wrench. Relax, let the pins reset, and start over again, focusing on not using too much pressure.
That’s it! Really. That’s all there is to it. You can successfully pick most pin and tumbler locks using this scrubbing method.
You may run across locks that require a little bit more finesse by picking each pin set one at a time. In these trickier locks, you may need to get more methodical by looking for the pin stack that resists the most and picking it first and then repeating the process until all the pins are successfully picked.
Practice, Practice, Practice
Like I said above, lock picking is more art than science. The best way to learn how to do it is to simply pick locks as much as possible. Buy yourself different pin and tumbler locks at the hardware store and keep them on your desk or by your couch. When you’re taking a break from work or while you’re watching TV, practice picking. I’ve got three or four locks in my drawer that I’ll bust out during the day for practice sessions.
You’re one step closer to becoming Jason Bourne. Remember, use this knowledge for fun or for legal entries. If you're going to burgle, only burgle hamburgers. Robble, robble.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I pick a lock with?
Your best bet is a lock picking set that includes a tension wrench a set of rakes. My favorite is the set from SEREPick. In a pinch, you could fashion some lock pics with a paper clip, bobby pin, or even windshielder wiper blades. In my experience, picking a lock with a paperclip is much more difficult because the paper clips have a tendency to break in the lock.
Is lockpicking legal?
Depends on which country or state you live in. In most instances, as long as you're picking a lock and don't have criminal intent, you're fine. y In some states, owning a set of lock picks is prima facie evidence of criminal intent and things get more complicated. Be sure to check local laws before buying a lock pick set.
Can you pick a lock with a credit card?
Not tumbler locks. But some locks on internal doors can be opened jimmying a credit card between the lock the door.
Further Reading
If you want to get more in-depth in the art of lock picking, check out these two sources:
The MIT Guide to Lock Picking (This baby goes really in-depth into the mechanics and physics of why we're able to pick locks. Very thorough. Definitely recommend reading it.)
With the stupidity going on for the past few months with mobs of leftist idiots attacking cars and passengers this primer would be some good advice for us motorists. I shamelessly clipped this article from "Art of Manliness"
You’re sitting in your car at an intersection listening to the 80's on Sirius XM. Suddenly your door swings open and a gun is shoved in your face. “Out of the car!” a voice yells. You’re getting carjacked. While rare, carjackings have been on the rise in recent years in cities across the United States (more on why in a bit). So it pays to have a plan for how to avoid becoming the victim of this crime, and what to do if you can’t. To put together both prongs of said plan, I researched this area of tactical know-how, including talking with my buddy Mike Seeklander, owner of the American Warrior Society and a self-protection and tactical training expert, and share key insights on preventing and dealing with carjackings below. Before I started researching this article, I thought carjackings were mostly a trope from 1970s action movies. The news didn’t seem to cover many reports on this crime.
But statistics indicate that carjackings have actually been on the rise in many U.S. cities for the past decade. Chicago, Memphis, Nashville, Baltimore, and New Orleans are just some of the cities that have reported a dramatic increase in carjackings in recent years.
Criminologists have a theory as to why the prevalence of carjackings has been going up: Cars today are simply harder to steal without a driver already at the wheel. The fact that modern cars come equipped with anti-theft technology, and will only start when a keyfob is in the vehicle, has made stealing parked cars much more difficult, time-consuming, and dangerous for would-be thieves than it was in the days of simple hot-wiring. So instead of stealing parked, unoccupied vehicles, criminals are taking already running cars from drivers at gunpoint. It’s a lot faster and easier than stealing a car the old-fashioned way. So carjackings are up. What can you do to prevent yourself from becoming a victim of this crime? Step one is to educate yourself about the world of carjacking. You need to know where carjackings are most likely to occur and how they typically go down so that you can formulate a plan on how to avoid this situation in the first place. So here’s your dossier on the criminal world of carjacking:
Most carjackings occur in high crime areas (duh), but Mike says they’re also increasingly happening in the safer, wealthier parts of town too: “That’s typically where the nicer cars filled with nice things are at so that’s where criminals go.”
Carjacking is a crime of opportunity. Carjackers prefer to work at night and in dark areas. Parking lots and intersections with poor lighting are favorite spots. Carjackings do occur, however, in driveways or near the entrances into gated communities.
Carjackers typically strike when the person is getting into their vehicle.
92% of carjackings happen when the victim is alone in the car.
90% of carjackings involved the use of a weapon, typically a firearm.
Carjackers generally are under the age of 21.
Below we discuss how to counteract the factors that make someone more vulnerable to this crime, in order to make yourself far less so.
Maintain situational awareness.We’ve written extensively about situational awareness here. The key points are 1) paying attention to your surroundings (get off your phone!), 2) look for anomalies in your environment, and 3) have a plan for if something goes wrong. Situational awareness doesn’t mean being paranoid, just staying in a state of calm attentiveness. Park in well-lit and well-populated areas. As mentioned above, carjackings are crimes of opportunity. Carjackers will steal a car if they think they’re more likely to get away with it, and they’re more likely to get away with it, if there’s no one around and it’s dark. Don’t give carjackers the opportunity. Park your car in well-lit and well-populated areas. Avoid parking next to big vans or other objects that will obscure the view of witnesses. The goal is to park in a place where lots of people can see you, and your own visibility is high. Get in and out of your car with purpose. Carjackers typically prey on drivers that appear weak or are distracted. So don’t look weak or distracted. Get in and out of your car with purpose. When you’re walking to your car, keep your head on a swivel. Before you get in the car, look inside it—scanning both the front and back seats. As soon as you climb in the driver’s seat, lock the doors, and get moving. Don’t fiddle on your phone or the radio. Same goes for when you’re getting out of the car. As soon as you stop, get out, and get moving to your destination. The more time you sit in your car looking at your phone, the more time you give a carjacker to stick you up.
Keep your doors locked, and your windows rolled up. Your goal is to make it as hard as possible for someone to carjack you. Leaving your doors unlocked and windows down makes you an easy victim. As soon as you get into your car, make it a habit to lock the doors. And as great as it would be to roll the windows down on a beautiful spring day and crank up “Santeria” by Sublime while sipping a Surge, keep your windows rolled up in high-crime areas of town. You don’t want to provide easy access to thieves.
Many new cars have a feature that locks the doors automatically when you start the car. Mike recommends turning that feature on so that you don’t have to think about locking your doors when you get in your vehicle. Don’t travel solo when driving in a dangerous part of town. 92% of carjacking victims were alone in their car at the time of the crime. While it’s not possible to have a buddy with you every time you get in the car, if you know you’ll be driving in a dangerous part of town, take a co-pilot along. Again, carjackers are criminals of opportunity: if you’ve got a friend with you, it means the carjacker is likely outnumbered, diminishing his chances of success, and making him think twice about targeting your vehicle. When stopped in your vehicle (like at a stoplight), be sure you can see the tires of the car in front of you. This will put enough space between you and the car in front of you to allow you to steer and drive away if some bad dude tries to jack your car. “Also, have a plan every time you’re at a stop light. If you had to drive away, have an idea of where you’d go,” says Mike. “[And] don’t be afraid to ignore sidewalks and traffic lines or hit a traffic sign. In a life or death situation, all surfaces become drivable.”
Be on the Lookout for Bump and Runs
One underhanded tactic that some criminals use to carjack is called the “bump and run.” The carjacker and an accomplice will intentionally bump their vehicle into the rear of the victim’s car. Thinking he’s been involved in a fender bender, the victim will get out of his car to assess the damage and exchange insurance information. That’s when the carjacker will threaten the victim and steal his car. The carjacker zooms away in your vehicle, his accomplice drives away in his, and the victim is left stranded. If you do get rear-ended, pull your car over into a well-lit and populated area. You want as many people as you can to see you. If there isn’t a good place to pull over, keep driving (with your flashers on, so if the person who bumped you is an average citizen, they know you’ll be stopping) until you find one. If you suspect the bumper is likely a car thief, call the police, and stay in your car with doors locked and windows rolled up until the police arrive.
Despite all the precautions you’ve taken, you’ve got some rando pointing a gun at your head and telling you to get out of the car. What do you do?
Just give them your car. Most carjackers just want your car. So give it to them. Your life is more important than your Honda Civic. Cars are replaceable; you aren’t. Get kids out of the car first. If you have kids in the car, make sure the kids get out before you do. “Don’t let some bad guy get behind the wheel of the car if your kids are still in the car. Just tell the carjacker that they can take the car, but that your kids have to get out first,” says Mike. If the kids are old enough to get out by themselves, tell them to get out and as far away from the car and the criminal as possible. If they can’t get out of the car by themselves (e.g., a toddler or an infant), turn around to the backseat and get them out. Again, children should never be in the car without you. Do NOT get in the car with them. If your carjacker tells you to move over and stay in the car with them, or demands that you get back in after he’s taken over the driver’s seat, do whatever is needed to avoid complying. Your attacker is likely taking you to a “second crime scene.” You don’t want to go to a second crime scene. These are places that are entirely hidden from public view where violent criminals kill/rape/beat their victims. Crime studies show that a victim’s chances of survival go down once they get to a second crime scene. So if you’re told to get into/stay in a carjacked vehicle, fight to resist like your life depends on it — because it probably does.
Control whatever weapon your attacker is using and unleash violence on them. Mike recommends keeping a pepper gel or foam as a first line of defense. “You want to avoid a pepper spray because it could mist back on you. You want something that shoots directly on the criminal and stays on them,” he explains.
Use improvised weapons. Gouge eyes, stomp feet, knee nuts. If you’re armed, Mike recommends practicing how to handle your firearm in your vehicle. “Handling a firearm in a closed environment like a car seat poses some challenges,” he says. “You’ll need to practice how to get access to your firearm and how to aim and fire it. You’ll also need to practice how to manage your firearm if you have passengers in your vehicle so that they don’t get injured. They need to know what to do in the event you have to use a gun in your vehicle. And this takes practice.” Many firearm training centers offer classes on how to handle a firearm in a car. If you carry a weapon, Mike recommends taking a class. Also, just practice with a “red gun” or other type of training gun. If your defenses fail and the carjacker puts you into the trunk, you know how to get out. As mentioned above, carjackings are rare but rising. Using some common-sense rules, you can avoid being a victim. But if you do get carjacked, you’ll know how to handle it.
